How to Sail Through a Waterspout

[s/v Beth]

Thanks for the pictures Bill- they still give me the willies looking at them from my desk...

[pbmaise]

1. Radar on. You should see intense systems that spawn them six nautical miles away.
2. They will come up from behind you. Head as much up wind as possible.
3. If it looks like on radar something will come within 4 nm then engine on.
4. No engine? Sails down.
5. Use engine power to motor/motorsail upwind.
6. Keep two miles away from intense storm cells.
7. If cell front too large to escape, sails down. Note: You may have to motor downwind if headsail doesn't furl. Don't do that if you have a mainsail up. Bring it down first while into wind.

Speed of approaching storm cells can be fast. In Philippines I clock them from 6 to 12 knots.

When it passes by hopefully you can catch some rain on the weaker backside.

Philip
HOT BuOYS

[JPA Cate]

The radar return for a clear air squall we encountered in the Huon River looked like a solid mass, not as "fuzzy" as rain squalls usually appear. Quite remarkable. Sure stirred up the water.

Have seen water spouts, never had one develop astern, though. Off to the beam or ahead, yes. Just my experience. I've never seen one on the radar; that would be interesting or scary depending on how distant it was!

Ann